Telangana: Little sailors make India proud

June 20, 2017 |
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Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], June 20 (ANI): Six sailors from Telangana have been recruited into the Naval and Armed forces, while still pursuing their schooling.
One of the sailors named Durga Prasad, currently no. 2 in national sailors' ranking would represent India at an International sailing championship in July 2017.
Prasad, studying in class X, was encouraged by his school's principal to further in sailing.
Talking to ANI, Prasad said, "I have been in this field for two years. I was encouraged by my school principal to join the Yacht Club, Hyderabad for training."
Prasad was extremely happy to represent the country at the International level.
"I feel proud to perform internationally. I never expected to go into the Navy," he added.
Appreciating Prasad, the president and owner of the Yacht Club Suheim Sheik, said, "He is selected into the Navy, so once he comes back, he will become a Naval officer. We pretty much handed him over to the country in good shape."
Sheikh asserted that six students from the club have been recruited in the Indian Army and Navy.
"Four have been selected in the Navy and two in the Army. They will continue to sail as they are on a national level. Five of our kids got into national squad," he added.
Mehbooba, a sailor from Hyderabad studying in Class IX in Government Girls High school currently ranking the 40th position in the national level, faced many hurdles during the initial phase of her career.
Her teachers convinced her family for allowing her to pursue this career.
Mehbooba said, "I took the sport one-and-a-half years ago and I aim to perform at the International level."
Sachin, whose parents work as labourers in small-scale industries, started training for sailing when he was in Class V.
He said, "I want to become a Navy officer in future and recently, I went through selection and got into the Naval force."
Most of the parents of these children are farm labourers or auto drivers.
Under a programme called 'Dignity through Sports' children of 11-12 year age group from the state are getting trained in sailing.
Most of the children indulged in the program come from Social Welfare and Minorities schools in Vikarabad and Pargi.
The camp has a strength of 50 in which 18 are girls. (ANI)